The best of Scotland

Immerse yourself in nature
There’s so much to see in Scotland’s great outdoors. Where else can you spot Britain’s only herd of wild reindeer, red squirrels, puffins and wildcats? The magnificent countryside is teeming with life and opportunities to explore.

For the adventurous – and fit – there are many trails, including the West Highland Way and the Loch Ness 360°. There are mountains galore, including Ben Nevis and Ben Lomond, and even five ski resorts.

A lovely new natural destination to discover is Dundreggan Rewilding Centre in Glenmoriston, between Inverness and Fort William. The restored forest is now home to 4,000 species of plants and animals, including golden eagles and black grouse. Visitors can walk through woods and heather and extend their stay in overnight accommodation (visitdundreggan.co.uk).

Scotland’s most popular driving route is the North Coast 500. This 516-mile route starts at Inverness and its winding roads take in John O’Groats and the Black Isle, Wester Ross and Caithness. You can self-drive or take a guided tour with a tour operator such as Rabbies (rabbies.com).

Night-sky gazers can also spot the Northern Lights, if they are lucky, particularly in the Highlands and islands. The best time to see this fabulous natural phenomenon is in the winter, and good spots include the Cairngorms, Caithness, the Hebrides and Shetland.

Cities of culture
There’s always plenty going on in Scotland’s cities. From Glasgow’s grand museums to Edinburgh’s royal heritage and famous festivals, you’ll always find something to do.

Highlights for visitors to Edinburgh include the historic Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle and the King’s official residence in Scotland, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Don’t miss a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, moored permanently in nearby Leith, which this year celebrates its 70th anniversary.

Art lovers should first head for the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh, which has works by Titian, Rembrandt and Constable (nationalgalleries.org).

And at the end of this month Dovecot, the famous tapestry studio and art, craft and design centre, presents Scottish Women Artists: 250 Years of Changing Perception, featuring 50 historic and contemporary female artists (opens 28 July, dovecotstudios.com).

Glasgow is also buzzing with attractions, including Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. It is currently showing Mary Quant: Fashion Revolutionary (until October, glasgowlife.org.uk). For livelier entertainment, the SEC Armadillo, on the banks of the Clyde, has an extensive programme of concerts and events.

In Dundee, the Scottish outpost of the V&A has a fun new exhibition, Tartan (until next January), which celebrates the national fabric and its history (vam.ac.uk).

Fantasy islands
Scotland is famous for its dramatic unspoilt islands, from Orkney and Shetland in the north to the Inner and Outer Hebrides, including Mull and Skye, off its west coast.

In August the Lake District hotel Another Place (another.place) is running a temporary ‘pop-up’ at the 47-room Machrie hotel on Islay. The island is known as the Queen of the Hebrides because of its 23 beaches, nine whisky distilleries and amazing wildlife. You can travel around by tuk-tuk and take sunset boat trips to see some of the birds and animals featured in David Attenborough’s Wild Isles series.

Shetland will be the centre of the sailing world in late July, when the third stage of the 2023 Tall Ships Race departs from the capital, Lerwick.

Hopping between Scotland’s many islands is a wonderful holiday. For those who want to travel at their own pace, but with an organised itinerary, walking tour specialist Macs Adventure (macsadventure.com) has a new Walking on Orkney trip.

This five-night self-guided tour of the islands starts at Stromness. You will travel by boat to see the Old Man of Hoy sea stack, and walk to the Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar, a prehistoric stone circle.

The trip finishes off in Kirkwall, the capital and home to the Highland Park and Scapa distilleries.

There is much more information about Scotland’s dozens of islands on the visitscotland.com website.

Prepare to party!
Scots know how to celebrate, and they make an early start on 31 December with hogmanay, which is the traditional word for ‘last day of the year’.

The Scottish capital is famous for the Edinburgh International Festival, which started in 1947 and runs for three weeks during August. The main festival is about classical music, but since its inception has been accompanied by the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which has ballooned into the world’s largest performing arts event. August also sees the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the Edinburgh Art Festival, the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Visit edinburghfestivalcity.com for details.

Scotland is also renowned for its traditional music. There are events throughout the year, starting in January with Celtic Connections in Glasgow, but July is the time for the Hebridean Celtic Festival, held on the Isle of Lewis (hebceltfest.com). Fans of the traditional bagpipes will also love the Piping Live! festival in Glasgow in August (pipinglive.co.uk).